June 30, 2010 │ Like a Father Exhorting, Encouraging and Imploring Each Child Today │ 1 Thessalonians 2:11

June 30, 2010

Building Strong Friendships in Christ

Like a Father Exhorting, Encouraging and Imploring Each Child Today

“just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,”

1 Thessalonians 2:11 Page 1846

Every child raised by a father can certainly tell a lot of stories about their fathers. In Jewish households, God commanded fathers to teach their sons the commandments of God and talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:4, page 297). But, sadly, not all children knew their father, or had a father who obediently commanded his children and his household to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring blessings upon the family (Genesis 18:19, page 25). For the fatherless, Paul acts as a spiritual father in Christ to each one of them.

I meet grandparents all the time who are so happy that their adult children have moved out of the house. Now they can enjoy their grandchildren at their leisure. Yet, the spiritual bonds between Christians should eclipse the bonds of flesh and blood. Remember that Jesus said: “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26, page 1630). Jesus emphasized there that we must follow Him and refuse to let anyone, even our families, lead us away from Himself. In fact, Jesus taught that “whoever does the will of My Father who is heaven, he is My brother and and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50, page 1522).

Therefore, when Paul calls himself a spiritual father, he certainly continues to employ the family members as examples. Please recall that in 1 Thessalonians 2:7, he said the ministry team was as gentle as a nursing mother caring for her own children. Now, in 1 Thessalonians 2:11, he likens the ministry team to a father caring for his own children. Probably no one ever had a human parent as spiritually wonderful as the ministry team, except for the presence of God Himself in our lives. At any rate, no matter how great your parents were to you, and how much you loved them, Paul still invokes the images of mother and father to describe how the ministry team acted in Thessalonica. If you never knew your mother or father, then learn from Jesus in the Bible how to be the best parent possible, because He always sets the ultimate example.

Paul describes the actions of the ministry team using three participles. Again, you should care about participles because people will use them to describe your actions: “When you dropped into the wave, you were crouching down;” “When you were walking home, I saw you;” “Wow, I heard you singing, and thought it was a dog in trouble.” See those -ing words. They are participles, that relate to the main action of the sentence. Paul uses three participles to describe the fatherly actions of the ministry team.

First, Paul describes them as “exhorting.” This word means to call along side, so that the two of you will be close together. It can also mean that you exhort the other person, or encourage them. Of course, in dealing with children, it can mean all of the above, at the same time. My father loved me, and exhorted me to action. He told me to do whatever I did with all my heart. In this case, Paul emphasizes the ongoing process of exhortation. He did it on a continuing basis.

Second, Paul used the term “encouraging.” In using this word, Paul means that as a father, he told each one of the Thessalonian believers to keep up the good work, to continue to use their spiritual gifts, to do some more good. The word can also mean to comfort, and the idea here is that the father would promote desired activity in the child’s life.

Third, Paul used the word “imploring.” You implore someone when you urge them strongly. For example, “Give me your hand, and I will pull you up to safety.” Paul uses the term in matters of great importance. In essence, Paul reminds the Thessalonians that, as a father, he was imploring them.

With all these words, Paul was focusing upon continuous action the ministry team took with the Thessalonians, with each one of them. We must be careful to keep doing the fatherly things with each other, especially with young believers that really need a spiritual father looking after them, by exhorting, encouraging, and imploring them. We show love for Jesus when we love our friends like the ministry team loved the Thessalonians.

So, we learn some more about building strong friendships in Christ.

● Strong bonds of friendship form when act like a spiritual father, caring for each one, exhorting, encouraging, and imploring them to follow Christ.

● Strong bonds of friendship grow when we take time to act like a father of love, strength, and commitment to Christ in the way we treat younger believers as beloved children.

● We harm our bonds of friendship when we no longer: (1) call other believers to stand beside us; or (2) encourage them by telling them something to promote further Godly behavior in them; or (3) implore them to act for Jesus. Never give up on your spiritual friends, no matter what they do.

Application for Today

Today, I want to act like a loving father to my spiritual friends, exhorting them, encouraging them, and imploring them. Ready to act like a father today? Know anyone who needs you to act like a father today?

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Welcome to Christ Assembly. As born-again believers, baptized by Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, we love to glorify God through the study and application of His Word, the Bible. As we study the Bible, we seek to know God better, and to introduce others to the loving salvation of Jesus Christ received by faith alone.

We value the spiritual gifts bestowed upon every born-again Christian and seek to equip them for the work of service for Christ Jesus. Only through every saint using the spiritual gift(s) bestowed upon them will the body of Jesus Christ reach spiritual maturity and avoid being blown about by every wind of doctrine. May God have all the glory, always.
HALLELUJAH !

Spiritual Help

Eternal Life

People often ask me about how they can find spiritual peace. They tell me about their serious illness, divorce, drug addiction, alcoholism, and many other problems that grieve them. So many people share with me that they have never felt truly loved in their entire life, even though they have been married for decades, and have grandchildren. So many people feel a spiritual hunger and thirst within themselves. Jesus loves people and wants you to know all about His great love. He called it the greatest news anyone will ever hear. So, let me share with you about Jesus, Who loves you today. In Jesus, you can receive peace with God today. Jesus alone provides spiritual peace.

Romans 10:9

“Jesus asks you: ‘Why should I let you into My heaven?'”

Let me start with a question. Imagine you were to die today, and stand before Jesus Christ. Imagine further that Jesus looked at you and asked: “Why should I let you into My heaven?”
Take a moment and think about what you would say to Jesus. I have personally asked that question to hundreds and hundreds of people, if not thousands, one person at a time. Jesus always deals personally with you. He knows your name, and loves you personally. Jesus knows your good points and your bad points.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

As God in the flesh, Jesus totally understands who we are as sinners. Sinners fall short of the glory of God. Sin separates us from spiritual peace with God today. In God’s eyes, we all fall short of the glory of God. We do not act perfectly all of the time and so fall short of His glory. We tell lies, we think impure thoughts, we do things we know we should not have done. The road to peace with God starts with understanding that we all sin and we all fall short of the glory of God. As sinners, we tend to hide our sins in darkness, but Jesus helps us recognize that we are sinners and need to come into the light of God. We take the first steps down the path of peace with God by agreeing with God that we are sinners. God helps us walk down the path of peace with God by His divine power. Only by God’s power can I change my mind and accept the truth that I am a sinner. I must repent of my sin and seek God’s forgiveness for my sin. How do I find forgiveness?

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus, the Son of God, offers forgiveness to sinners as a gift. In order to have peace with God, we must receive God’s gift of forgiveness. Before we can grasp God’s offer of forgiveness, we must understand God’s justice and how it works. God tells us that justice imposes a penalty upon sin. God said that the wages of sin is death. Just as we earn wages for our work, so sin earns the wage of death. This spiritual death results from us sinning and falling short of the glory of God. God cannot remain just, and simply ignore our sin. Justice requires that every sin be paid by the death penalty. You have sinned so you deserve to die spiritually. Sin causes the spiritual death of the sinner. Now let us focus upon the gift of God: forgiveness. As a sinner, deserving death, I really do not deserve a gift of eternal life. Instead of death, God wants me to have eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yet, my sin blocks me from having eternal life. To sinners God loves to give the free gift of eternal life. Although I have earned the death penalty by sinning, God offers me eternal life as a free Christmas gift. I cannot earn the gift of eternal life, and I do not deserve the gift of eternal life. God just wants me to have His gift of eternal life. God purchased the gift of eternal life, just for me, the sinner. Why would God give me gift of eternal life?

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

God gives the free gift of eternal life to sinners because God loves sinners like me. The road to peace with God means that I learn and accept that God loves sinners. Jesus came to love sinners. While I was a sinner, God loved me. So many people think that God hates sinners, but God tells us just the opposite right in this verse. I do not have to clean up my life before God will love me. God loves sinners. God gives the gift of eternal life to sinners, not to perfect people. You see, the gift of eternal life means that I believe that Jesus as God died for me on the cross. I recognize that I deserve the death penalty because I sinned, but Jesus took my place on the cross and died for all my sin. He satisfied God’s justice by paying the death penalty for me. God now offers me a free gift of eternal life, because Jesus loves sinners, and gave His life to die on the cross to pay for all my sins. Jesus demonstrated God’s love for sinners. How do I accept the free gift of God?

Romans 10:9

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

You accept the free gift of God by confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. We believe that God told us the truth that we fall short of the glory of God because we are sinners. Wonderfully, God loves sinners just like me. God purchased the gift of eternal life for me. I reach out by faith alone to accept the free gift from God. I believe that God sent Jesus as God in the flesh to die for me on the cross. Jesus paid the death penalty for me. Jesus satisfied the justice of God. New life in Jesus Christ begins with faith and continues for eternity. You can accept the free gift of eternal life right now, no matter where you are. Pray this prayer of faith.

Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and fall short of the glory of God.

Lord Jesus, I confess that I deserve the death penalty. I repent of my sins.

Lord Jesus, I believe that You died on the cross in my place, because You loved me and paid the death penalty for me.

Lord Jesus, I confess you as Lord of my life.

Lord Jesus, I believe that God raised You from the dead. I accept right now Your gift of forgiveness for all my sins, and thank You for saving me.

Amen.

If you prayed that prayer in faith, please send me an email through the contact box below. I look forward to getting to know you and help you walk daily with Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit of God comes into our lives and makes us new creations. You have an abundant life in front of you, filled with joy and peace with God. We must learn from Jesus, and He is humble and gentle with us.